Access Control for Water Utilities – Secure Access to Pump Stations and Facilities

Meet NIS2 and CER requirements with digital access control for water utilities. Traceable access to pump stations, reservoirs, and technical rooms.
4 min
Access Control for Water Utilities – Secure Access to Pump Stations and Facilities

Water utilities are classified as critical infrastructure under the CER Directive and NIS2. This means enhanced requirements for documenting who has access to your facilities.

With SnapKey, you get traceable access to all locations – from pump stations to clean water reservoirs.


Challenges for Water Utilities

❌ Many distributed locations: Pump stations, wells, reservoirs, technical rooms ❌ Off-grid facilities: No power or internet at many locations ❌ External technicians: Consultants, contractors, sample collectors ❌ Compliance requirements: NIS2 and CER require documentation ❌ Key circulation: Who actually has a key to what?


SnapKey + iLOQ for Water Utilities

Battery-free Locks

iLOQ S5 is powered by smartphone NFC. No batteries, no maintenance.

Works Offline

The lock validates the key locally. Perfect for pump stations without connectivity.

Automatic Access Log

Openings the lock system reports are logged with timestamp, person, and location.

Time-limited Access

Give sample collectors or contractors access only for the necessary time period.


Typical Locations Secured

Location Risk of Unauthorized Access SnapKey Solution
Clean water reservoir Drinking water contamination Traceable access, 2FA option
Pump station Operational disruption Time-limited access
Well Water extraction Offline access with logging
Technical room Control systems Role-based access
Chemical storage Chemical handling eID verification

NIS2 and CER Compliance

New legislation requires:

✅ Documented access control – SnapKey logs automatically ✅ Traceability – See who was where and when ✅ Role separation – Define who has access to what ✅ Audit reports – Export for inspections with one click ✅ Risk assessment – Identify access patterns


How Offline Access Works

Technician at pump station without internet:

1. Holds phone to the lock
2. NFC delivers power to the lock
3. Lock validates the key locally
4. Access granted/denied
5. Event logged in the lock
6. Log uploaded when phone is online

Result: the openings the lock system reports are logged with the key and the person – also at remote sites, once the log has been uploaded.


Use Case: Water Utility with 50+ Locations

Situation:

  • 52 pump stations and wells
  • 15 permanent employees
  • 10-20 external technicians annually
  • Spread across 120 miles

Before SnapKey:

  • Physical keys circulated uncontrolled
  • No knowledge of who had been where
  • Manual documentation for inspections
  • Coordination with externals took hours

With SnapKey:

  • All employees have personal digital key
  • Externals get time-limited access via SMS
  • Automatic log of the openings the lock system reports
  • Compliance report generated in minutes

Integration with Existing Systems

SnapKey can integrate with:

  • SCADA/operations systems – Link access data with operational data
  • HR systems – Automatic update of access rights
  • Regulatory requirements – Export in standard formats

FAQ

Does it work at pump stations without power?

Yes. iLOQ S5 locks are battery-free and powered by the phone's NFC. They can be installed at locations completely without power supply.

What if the technician is offline?

The key is validated locally in the lock. No internet connection is required to open. Logs upload automatically when the phone is online again.

Does SnapKey meet NIS2 requirements?

Yes. SnapKey provides automatic access logging, traceability, role separation, and exportable audit reports – all central NIS2 requirements.

Can we give sample collectors temporary access?

Yes. Send a time-limited key via SMS. The sample collector can open exactly the locations you choose, in exactly the time period you define.


Get Started

Is your water utility ready for modern access control – and the new compliance requirements?